BRING: Carolyn Stein

BRING is a bargain hunter’s, crafter’s and DIYer’s dream come true. With more than three acres of lumber, doors, windows and fixtures—all sold at low-cost—this nonprofit-based business is Eugene’s original used building center, selling over a million pounds of materials annually.

BRING, which stands for Begin Recycling In Neighborhood Groups, began with a question and an idea: If you can recycle a metal can, what about a metal sink? If you can recycle that glass jar, what about a glass window?

Along with its materials store, BRING also offers free services for Lane County residents, like its Rethink Business program for local businesses and a K-12 education program that includes presentations, field trips and more. With so many facets to the organization, BRING needed a bank it could trust and one that cared about its mission, which is why they picked Oregon Pacific Bank.

“We love that Oregon Pacific Bank is based in Oregon,” says BRING Executive Director Carolyn Stein. “As a nonprofit that also operates a business, it is important to us to keep our money local, so that it benefits other Oregon businesses and citizens.”

Promoting recycling throughout the Eugene-area, this innovative organization offers free consulting services, helping businesses reduce waste and save money through the Rethink certification program and the TRUE Zero Waste certification program. BRING also offers an Eco-Logical Business Program (EcoBiz), which is an environmental certification that recognizes automotive repair and body shops, car washes, landscapers and public agencies that adopt best practices and prevent pollution.

Having worked with over 400 businesses in the area, BRING has saved clients tens of thousands of dollars though efficiencies.

For nonprofits like BRING, Oregon Pacific Bank offers customized banking solutions, like charitable checking, lending, credit cards, cash management and more. BRING currently utilizes us for its general operations accounts and ACH transfers, which Carolyn says is particularly useful for their organization.

“We have long-standing relationships with key staff members, and we always know just who to call when we need something,” Carolyn says.

Founded in 1971, BRING the brainchild of a group of volunteers committed to promoting recycling. The group initially operated as a collector and professor of household recyclables. Since then, the organization has evolved and changed with the times. When garbage companies took over recycling, BRING had to adjust its business model to focus on better ways to make the biggest impacts. Today, they are committed to promoting Reducing, Reusing, Recycling and Rethinking through its education and consulting programs.

Oregon Pacific Bank is privileged to work with such a valuable organization that is making a significant impact in Lane County.

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